Early Fire Stations of the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company

Before the construction of modern fire stations, the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company operated from a variety of small carriage houses, rented rooms, and repurposed buildings. These early facilities reflect the resourcefulness and dedication of the department’s earliest members as they worked to establish organized fire protection for the community.

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Hose Carriage Houses, Stables, and Meeting Rooms

When the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company was organized in September 1890, the department’s first apparatus consisted of two hose carriages.

One of these, Hose Carriage No. 2, was stored in a small hose carriage house located behind the Harford County Jail. The jail stood behind the Harford County Sheriff’s residence and office on Main Street, directly across from the Harford County Courthouse.

Finding a location for Hose Carriage No. 1 proved more challenging. Initially, the carriage was temporarily stored on Ellendale Street near Gordon Street at the livery stable of Henry B. Bruns, who served as the Division 1 Foreman.

At the time, the fire company hoped to construct a carriage house on property owned by the local school board on Gordon Street. This location would have allowed the two hose carriages to be strategically placed in different areas of town for faster response.

However, the school board debated the request for several years and ultimately did not grant permission. In November 1893, the fire company appointed a committee to find a permanent solution. The decision was made to keep Hose Carriage No. 1 at the Ellendale Street livery stable.

In July 1897, the carriage was moved to another stable owned by Henry B. Bruns on Gordon Street. By that time, Bruns had become Chief of the Department and would later serve as the company’s president.

On March 3, 1898, the Town Commissioners rented two rooms in the ferry building on Courtland Street between Main Street and Bond Street. These rooms were used for fire company meetings and administrative functions.

Around this same time, the company also needed space for a new Hook and Ladder carriage that was being purchased. Storage space for this apparatus was secured at the Shannahan and Smith livery stable on Main Street.

These temporary arrangements continued until the construction of the company’s first dedicated fire station in 1907.

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Courtland Street Fire Station (1907–1924)

In November 1906, the fire company appointed a committee to find permanent housing for the organization and its apparatus. The committee was tasked not only with locating a suitable site but also with raising the funds necessary to build a fire station.

Early fundraising efforts struggled to gain momentum, prompting town officials to become involved. On December 5, 1906, the Town Commissioners proposed a voluntary tax of forty cents per hundred dollars of property value to help fund the construction of a fire station and provide meeting space for both the fire company and the town commissioners.

The need for a station became urgent in early 1907 when the fire company received notice that its Hook and Ladder carriage would no longer be allowed to remain at the Shannahan and Smith livery stable.

On January 11, 1907, authorization was given to purchase a lot on Courtland Street from Clarence Purcell for $150. The first payment was made on February 1, 1907.

Construction began in June 1907. The building measured approximately 20 by 40 feet and consisted of a single-story structure with a small loft. The apparatus bay featured large inward-swinging double doors, along with a smaller pedestrian entrance.

The total cost of constructing the station was $495.

This building became the first official fire station in the history of the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company and brought all of the department’s apparatus under one roof.

In October 1919, the station was slightly modified to accommodate the company’s first motorized apparatus — a 1918 Ford / American LaFrance Type “E” Double Tank Combination Chemical and Hose Car.

As the department continued to grow and additional apparatus were purchased, the company began planning for a larger station.

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Main Street Fire Station (1924–1942)

By 1923, the Courtland Street station had become too small to house both the existing Ford American LaFrance hose wagon and a newly ordered Seagrave pumper.

In December 1923, the fire company finalized the purchase of property at 34–36 North Main Street from the Whitaker Estate for $5,000. The property included a storefront and an adjoining residence.

The fire company took possession of the property on February 1, 1924, and held its first company meeting at the new location on February 20 of that year.

The residential portion of the building remained intact and was rented out to help offset the mortgage. The storefront section was heavily renovated to serve as the fire station.

The front of the building was removed, the floor lowered to street level, and a concrete floor installed. Two large inward-swinging apparatus doors were added so that two pieces of apparatus could be housed side by side.

The station also included office space, storage areas, and a large club room for members.

Renovations were completed on April 30, 1924, and the Seagrave pumper was moved from its temporary location at the Harford Garage into the new station.

In January 1930, the company constructed a 35-foot hose tower behind the station to properly dry fire hoses. Prior to this addition, hoses were often stored wet, which contributed to deterioration and failure during fires.

The tower was modeled after similar structures used by neighboring fire departments and included a platform at the top designed to support a future siren installation.

By 1939, with the addition of a Continental ambulance, space once again became limited. The company began searching for a larger facility.

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Bond Street Fire Station (1942–1964)

In late 1941, the fire company purchased the former Neuman Ice Cream Plant, owned by the Borden Company, which was located directly behind the Main Street station. The property was purchased on December 15, 1941, for $6,800.

At the same time, the Main Street property and adjoining residence were sold to Louis Hollander of York, Pennsylvania, who later converted the building into a home and auto supply store.

One notable part of the agreement allowed the fire company to remove the hose tower from the Main Street station.

Rather than dismantling the structure, members of the fire company decided to move the entire tower intact. On February 1, 1942, members gathered with ropes, pulleys, and rollers to carefully relocate the tower approximately 150 feet to its new position beside the Bond Street fire station.

In December 1943, the company erected a new flagpole in front of the station displaying both the American flag and a service banner honoring 30 members serving in the military during World War II. The banner also included a gold star in memory of Sergeant Meredith Chambers, the first fire company member to lose his life in military service.

By 1947, the department had grown to four pieces of apparatus and once again required additional space. Part of the station property was sold to help finance renovations and expansion.

Construction began in June 1948 and included building a new hose tower, expanding the station, and reorienting the apparatus bays so they faced Bond Street rather than the alley between Bond and Main Streets. This redesign allowed for safer and faster apparatus response.

Renovations were completed in December 1948, with finishing touches completed in January 1949. An open house was held on February 22, 1949, allowing the public to tour the updated facility.

The improvements included individual apparatus bays, offices, shower facilities, gear storage areas, and a recreation room for members.

In 1954, the station was expanded again with the addition of a two-story wing. The first floor provided kitchen space and storage for the Ladies Auxiliary, while the second floor housed a radio room for the county’s new centralized fire alarm system.

When Harford County’s central fire alarm system went into service in May 1955, the radio room at the Bond Street station served as the county’s dispatch center. The room contained the controls for every fire siren in the county and was staffed 24 hours a day.

The Bond Street station remained the home of the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company until September 26, 1964, when the department moved into its new and larger fire station on Dallam Place — now known as Hickory Avenue.